In choosing a care provider it is important that you select the provider with the right values. After consulting our staff here is what we feel Way Ahead Care’s values are.
Wellbeing
Wellbeing is about promoting a Service User’s overall happiness and wellness as well as their individuality. When we promote a Service User’s wellbeing we are better able to keep them as healthy, comfortable and safe as possible. A Service User’s wellbeing can be further enhanced when we meet their identified care and support needs.
Independence
We want to support and encourage Service Users to do as much as possible for themselves. It is quality, not quantity, which matters here. Even if a Service User can only wash their hands themselves, they are still then participating in the process and are being empowered. Increased independence will boost a Service User’s self-esteem and sense of self-worth. Service Users have the right to lead their own life.
Quality
We want to continually provide the highest quality care and support we possibly can. We want to always aspire to improve our care practice and our knowledge and want to learn by our mistakes. To provide high quality care, we have to be professional and kind and work with Service Users to enhance their quality of life by delivering person-centred care.
Respect
We will always treat every Service User and their family with the utmost respect and understanding. Respect is deep rooted – it is about genuinely wanting to invest the time to get to know someone and recognising that every person is unique and having respect for Service Users’ individual values, feelings and preferences. We must treat Service Users how we would want our own family members to be treated. Way Ahead Care also respect its staff team, and deeply value and appreciate the hard work and dedication of all staff.
Dignity
Dignity is more than just closing the door or covering someone with a towel. Dignity, in its purest form, is about the way in which we make a person feel about themselves by how we treat them. When a person feels valued and respected, they are more likely to feel like a part of their community and have a greater sense of citizenship. We can provide dignified care by talking to Service Users, including them in conversations and earning their trust.
Flexibility
We will strive to be as flexible as we can be to meet Service Users’ needs and respect their wishes and preferences, within the operational and practical constraints we are faced with. The ability to be as flexible as possible to respond to Service Users’ changing circumstances is an essential ingredient of person-centred care.
Happiness
Often overlooked, but very important. We need to strive to make people happy! Of course, this is often a lot easier said than done, but just by giving people company and taking the time to have a chat, showing a real interest in what they say and involving them in their lives as much as possible will often make a positive difference to a person’s day and help to enhance their quality of life.
Safety
We must always take every reasonable step to keep people as safe as possible from harm or injury. However, keeping people safe does not necessarily mean ‘wrapping them in cotton wool’. Safety is subjective – we need to be proactive about finding out what being safe means to each individual Service User, and enable people to take reasonable risks. We need to work in partnership with Service Users to work out how they can be kept safe whilst still living the life they want. We need to work together to promote a culture of open and honest feedback. We always need to learn from any training we do.
Customer Satisfaction
This goes hand in hand with quality – we need to always put ourselves in the shoes of Service Users – ‘if I was receiving care and support, how satisfied would I be with the quality and suitability of my care?’. ‘If my Mum was being cared for by Way Ahead Care, would I be happy?’. To achieve customer satisfaction, we must be open to constructive criticism where necessary and check with Service Users whether they are happy and whether there is anything more we can do to support or assist them.
